WEBVTT YOU MAY REMAIN ANONYMOUS. STEVE: ONE MAN’S PAIN AND SUFFERING IS NOW COSTING THE CITY $200,000. STACEY: A FEDERAL JURY DETERMINED TODAY THAT TWO DES MOINES POLICE OFFICERS DID USE EXCESSIVE FORCE ON A MAN BACK IN 2013. KCCI’S LAUREN DONOVAN IS LIVE ON COURT AVENUE TONIGHT, WHERE THE INCIDENT HAPPENED MORE THAN 5 YEARS AGO. LAUREN: THAT MAN WAS ON COURT AVENUE IN FEBRUARY OF 2013. HE SAID HE WAS WAITING FOR A TAXI WHEN HE NOTICED 2 POLICE OFFICERS USED WHAT HE THOUGHT WAS EXCESSIVE FORCE TO ARREST A WOMAN, AND HE STEPPED IN. WE ARE ABOUT TO SHOW AN IMAGE OF THE MAN, AND IT IS GRAPHIC. >> CHIPPED TEETH. I MEAN, HIS NOSE AND FACE WERE PUNCHED. LAUREN: ATTORNEYS SAY THIS IS WHAT DUSTIN BURNIKEL LOOKED LIKE FOLLOWING AN ALTERCATION WITH 2 DES MOINES POLICE OFFICERS BACK IN 2013. AND THIS IS THIS WHY HE SUED THE CITY. >> IN TOWN FOR A STATE WRESTLING TOURNAMENT. LAUREN: BURNIKEL SAYS IT ALL STARTED WHEN HE SAW THE OFFICERS ARRESTING A WOMAN ON COURT AVENUE, AND THOUGHT THEY WERE USING EXCESSIVE FORCE. >> HE SPOKE UP AND ASKED THE OFFICER WHAT HE WAS DOING, AND WHY HE WAS HURTING HER. LAUREN: HIS ATTORNEY SAYS THAT’S WHEN THE OFFICERS TURNED O BURNIKEL, FIRST PEPPER-SPRAYING HIS FACE, AND THEN THROWING HIM AGAINST A TAXI. >> THE BRUTAL INJURIES THAT HE SUFFERED FROM BEING PUNCHED THE FACE AND THE TESTICLES. LAUREN: COURT DOCUMENTS SHOW THAT A FEDERAL JURY AWARDED BURNIKEL $200,000 ON TUESDAY FOR MEDICAL EXPENSES, PAIN, AND SUFFERING >> THEY DID THE RIGHT THING, A SPOKE THE TRUTH WITH THEIR VERDICT. LAUREN: IN THEIR DEFENSE, THE TWO DES MOINES POLICE OFFICERS, MICHAEL FONG AND GREG WESSELS, SAY BURNIKEL WAS THE AGGRESSOR THAT NIGHT, SO THEY HAD TO SUBDUE HIM. BUT ON WEDNESDAY, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT REFUSED TO COMMENT. >> IT’S IMPORTANT THEY BE HELD RESPONSIBLE. LAUREN: WE WENT TO CITY HALL TO SEE IF THE CITY ATTORNEY WOULD COMMENT, BUT HE, TOO, DECLINED TO GO ON CAMERA. >> WHEN THEY DO WRONG, THEY SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE, JUST AS ANY ONE OF US IS HELD ACCOUNTABLE. LAUREN: THE CITY OF DES MOINES DID SETTLE WITH THE MAN FOR AN UNDISCLOSED AMOUNT THAT WILL RESOLVE THE VERDICT AND ALL ISSUES IN THIS CASE. WE WILL FIND OUT WHAT THE UNDISCLOSED AMOUNT IS NEXT WEEK, WHEN IT IS RESOLVED WITH CITY COUNCIL. STAY TUNED FOR UPDATES ON THAT. LIVE ON COURT AVENUE, LA

An Iowa man's pain and suffering is costing the city of Des Moines $200,000 after a federal jury determined Tuesday that two Des Moines police officers used excessive force on him in February 2013 on Court Avenue.Dustin Burnikel, 37, of Lime Springs, said he was waiting for a taxi when the officers arrested a woman with what appeared to be excessive force, so he stepped in.Pictures from that night showing his bloodied face may be considered graphic for some people.Attorneys representing Burnikel said the officers punched his face during the altercation, which is why he sued the city.Justin Swaim, who represents Burnikel, said his client was in town for a state wrestling tournament.Burnikel said the situation started when he saw the officers arresting a woman on Court Avenue and thought they were using excessive force."(Burnikel) spoke up and asked the officer what he was doing and why he was hurting her," Swaim said.The officers turned on Burnikel, first pepper-spraying his face and then throwing him against a taxi, his attorney said, adding that he suffered "brutal injuries" from being punched in the face and the testicles, Swaim said.A federal jury awarded Burnikel $200,000 Tuesday for medical expenses, pain and suffering, according to court documents."They did the right thing and spoke the truth with their verdict," Swaim said. Officers Michael Fong and Greg Wesselssaid Burnikel was the aggressor that night, so they had to subdue him.The Des Moines Police Department refused to comment Wednesday."It's important they be held responsible," Swaim said.The city attorney also declined to comment."When they do wrong, they should be held accountable just as any one of us is held accountable," Swaim said.The city of Des Moines has settled with Burnikel for an undisclosed amount that will resolve the verdict and all issues in the case. The amount will be up for approval next week.

DES MOINES, Iowa (KCCI) —

An Iowa man's pain and suffering is costing the city of Des Moines $200,000 after a federal jury determined Tuesday that two Des Moines police officers used excessive force on him in February 2013 on Court Avenue.

Dustin Burnikel, 37, of Lime Springs, said he was waiting for a taxi when the officers arrested a woman with what appeared to be excessive force, so he stepped in.

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Pictures from that night showing his bloodied face may be considered graphic for some people.

Attorneys representing Burnikel said the officers punched his face during the altercation, which is why he sued the city.

Justin Swaim, who represents Burnikel, said his client was in town for a state wrestling tournament.

Burnikel said the situation started when he saw the officers arresting a woman on Court Avenue and thought they were using excessive force.

"(Burnikel) spoke up and asked the officer what he was doing and why he was hurting her," Swaim said.

The officers turned on Burnikel, first pepper-spraying his face and then throwing him against a taxi, his attorney said, adding that he suffered "brutal injuries" from being punched in the face and the testicles, Swaim said.